New recordings obtained by police investigators revealing how Eliezer Berland, the leader of Shuvu Banim who was arrested on Sunday along with his associates, tried to intimidate people with physical violence, were aired on Channel 12 News on Wednesday evening.
Berland is heard talking with the Shuvu Banim chief of operations Aharon Schwartz (Oren Amit) on one of the recordings, instructing him to use violence against two people.
The conversation was recorded when Berland was in police custody in Tzalmon prison following his extradition to Israel after fleeing the country due to criminal charges against him for assaulting women.
Read the conversation below (with censorship of incriminating details):
Berland: “So now you need to carry out a cheirem on…”
Schwartz: “Yes…”
Berland: “It’s forbidden to go anywhere near [them]. So now – right now – make a recording.”
Schwartz: “Yes…”
[Court Extends Arrest Of Rabbi Berland; Judge Says “Give him Mentos or Tic Tacs!” [VIDEOS]
Berland: “That’s it’s forbidden for anyone to go anywhere near [so and so] and everyone is permitted to break their bones because they’re transgressing ‘skilah, seraifah, hereg and chenek’ every second. Make a recording!”
Schwartz: “Okay, so one minute, I’m connecting it to the [Shuvu Banim] hotline. I should put it on the hotline?”
[Shuvu Banim Member: “There’s No Hope Of Seeing The Rav In The Near Future”]
Berland: “Put it on the hotline. Yes! It’s best to put it on the hotline! There’s nothing better than the hotline!”
Schwartz: “Good. This is a very sharp message! We’ll put it on the hotline!”
Berland: “Sharp…’to beat them’…what? What could happen? They’ll leave me here another ten years? I already got used to it. I’m prepared to be here for even another 100 years! They won’t go to the police to complain about me. Maybe, maybe…they’ll go to the police to complain against me that I beat people so we’ll take care of him also!”
[Rabbi Berland To Undergo Bypass While In Police Custody]
(YWN Israel[ Desk – Jerusalem)
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10 Responses
“Schwartz: “Good. This is a very sharp message! We’ll put it on the hotline!”
At least put the right translation. It was more like he was surprised and tried convincing not to put it out on hotline. He said “tov” meaning, ok um this is a very harsh message we should put it out on the hotline”?
Not good!
“Schwartz: “Good. This is a very sharp message! We’ll put it on the hotline!”
At least put the right translation. It was more like he was surprised and tried convincing not to put it out on hotline. He said “tov” meaning, ok um this is a very harsh message we should put it out on the hotline”?
Not- “this is good! We will put it out on the hotline!”
Berland and his thugs are sick & evil. Lock them up & lose the keys. Let them rot.
#2 Rightwriter: “He said “tov” meaning, ok um this is a very harsh message we should put it out on the hotline”?”
I’m flipping frantically through all my dictionaries to find this one…no luck. Perhaps I need to purchase the special edition of the Shvuntz dictionary.
Perhaps our definitional deficiencies are causing us to malign Berland unfairly. “Break their bones” May well mean “offer them a large family size jar of unsalted gefilte on rye, with optional two day shipping.”
I don’t know what Rabbi Berland is all about whether he is really a tzaddik or maybe not. But, I do know that whatever your read or hear in the media is slanted and biased and certainly not completely true or if there’s any truth at all in what they say.
Bornfrum, ask someone who understands Hebrew. In most context tov basically means alright. That’s like if someone says alright and you will flip it into meaning “oh very good”!
Basmelech1: Congratulations! The assault on the concept of truth has won.
You have the opportunity to read and listen to the recording. You can evaluate for yourself.
Calling Berland a “Shvuntz” is an insult to all the legitimate Shvuntzes out there. He is a convicted abuser of women and felon. What else do you need to know about this lowlife and his cult. This is not to denigrate all Breslov, just those who have followed Berland and carry out his insane agenda.
really disgusting to have “leaders” like this.
bornfrum just listen again, Rightwriter is totally right. A translation isn’t enough since you also need to get the tone.